Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest has come as the former prince is under heavy scrutiny for his ties to Jeffrey Epstein and accusations – strenuously denied by Andrew – that Australian woman Virginia Roberts Giuffre was forced to have sex with the disgraced royal.

However, the charge he was arrested on suspicion of, misconduct in public office, is not related to sexual misconduct, although it is linked to his relationship with Epstein.

This is what we know about it.

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What exactly is 'misconduct in public office'?

The charge of misconduct in public office is an old one in the UK, dating back to at least the 18th century.

The offence has been noted as extremely hard to define and a high evidential bar for prosecutors to clear.

The Crown Prosecution Service says the offence is committed when a public officer acting as such wilfully neglects to perform their duty and/or wilfully misconducts themselves to such a degree as to amount to an abuse of the public's trust in the office holder without reasonable excuse or justification.

Notably, no politician in the UK has ever been successfully convicted of the offence, though over the years several have been charged.

In recent years, prison officers have been prosecuted for the offence after having inappropriate relationships with inmates, as well as police officers leaking information.

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How does it relate to Andrew?

UK police have not charged Andrew as yet, nor have they suggested their investigation is connected with any dealings the ex-prince had with Epstein, the convicted sex offender who was found dead in a jail cell in 2019.

However, we do know the arrest comes shortly after millions of documents in the Epstein files were released by the US Justice Department, some of which named and pictured the British royal.

And while the misconduct in public office offence isn't specifically linked to an allegation of sexual wrongdoing against Andrew, it does appear to relate to his association with Epstein.

From 2001 to 2011, Mountbatten-Windsor held an official role as a UK trade envoy.

FROM PRINCE TO PARIAH: Timeline of events that led to Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor's arrest

This is what prosecutors will point to as a "public office" if any charges are laid – although this element alone is not a straightforward process.

"Firstly, it must be determined if Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was in a role within government that constitutes the title of public officer," Sean Caulfield, a criminal defence lawyer at Hodge Jones and Allen, said.

"There is no standard definition to clearly draw on."

Thames Valley Police previously confirmed it was looking into reports Mountbatten-Windsor sent confidential trade reports to Epstein in 2010.

Documents in those recently released Epstein files suggest Andrew passed on official government documents to the late financier when he was the trade envoy.

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Specifically, emails appeared to show him sharing reports of official visits to Hong Kong, Vietnam and Singapore.

One, dated November 2010, appeared to be forwarded by Andrew five minutes after he had received it.

In another a few weeks later, he appeared to send Epstein a confidential brief on investment opportunities in the reconstruction of Afghanistan's Helmand Province.

Andrew has long denied any wrongdoing over his Epstein links.

What's the maximum sentence for misconduct in public office?

If charged and then found guilty by a jury, Andrew could spend the rest of his life behind bars, as the offence carries a maximum sentence of life in prison.

However, experts believe he would be likely to be handed a shorter sentence if convicted – although they've also said a guilty finding would be difficult to achieve.

– with Associated Press

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The Serious Crash Unit has been notified and is investigating the scene.

A post-mortem will be conducted on the body of a woman found at a home in Ipswich, west of Brisbane.

The woman's body was found about 1.30pm yesterday, two hours after a man was taken into custody following a disturbance in the street.

Police say it appears the body may have been inside the Bellbird Park home for some time.

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The man is receiving a medical assessment and will be assisting police.

A crime scene was declared at the home and investigations are ongoing.

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Popular burrito chain Guzman y Gomez has suffered a multimillion-dollar hit after its half-yearly earnings were not as strong as expected.

The Australian company released its half-yearly results today, reporting $682 million in sales and earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortisation (EBITDA) of $33 million – both significant increases from the same time last year.

However, following the results, its share price on the ASX dropped about 10 per cent. With a market capitalisation of around $2.1 billion, that represents a hit of more than $200 million.

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GYG's sales grew 18 per cent compared to the first half of the last financial year, however analysts had expected that figure to come in at 19 per cent.

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The company's share price has plummeted from around $38 a year ago to about $18 today – far lower than the $22 offered when it was first listed on the ASX in 2024.

However, Guzman y Gomez said the results were positive, pointing to growing sales and 17 new restaurants opened around the world, keeping its expansion plans on track.

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"We continue to have extremely healthy restaurant economics and share our success with our franchisees," CEO Steve Marks said.

"GYG achieved solid sales momentum and earnings growth during the half, driven by… our team's consistent execution on core strategic and operational initiatives."

The company expects to open 32 more restaurants in Australia in the current financial year.

The company has also expanded into Asia with stores in Japan and Singapore, as well as the United States, where it currently has two locations.

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One of the robbers filmed the offending on his cellphone while another jumped the counter.